How to Reach Yamunotri

Yamunotri is a holy town in the state of Uttarakhand, one of the revered pilgrimage sites among Hindus. This sacred place is the source of the river Yamuna, situated at 3,293 m above sea level in the Garhwal Himalayas. Yamunotri is located close to Uttarkashi and is one of the four sites of India’s Chota Char Dham pilgrimage.

Tourists planning to visit this pilgrimage site can travel by air, rail, or road. Yamunotri is easily accessible by major cities and towns of nearby states, including Delhi, Dehradun, Haridwar, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. Here we have listed the commuting information you need to know to reach Yamunotri.

Yamunotri by Air

Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the closest airport to Yamunotri, situated at 210 km. It is the best alternative for tourists to travel to Yamunotri via air. Taxis to the next nearest stop, Hanuman Chatti, are available from the Jolly Grant Airport. One can even book a Yamunotri tour by helicopter directly from the airport Dehradun to Yamunotri. Jolly Grant airport is well-connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, and Bangalore by direct and connecting flights. You can hire a private taxi from the airport or board a bus to reach Yamunotri.

Yamunotri by Train

Dehradun railway station is the nearest primary railhead serving the Yamunotri region. Being the capital of Uttarakhand, Dehradun is easily commutable via rail from all the major cities of India. Pilgrims traveling to Yamunotri can take the rail route to Dehradun’s nearest station. Apart from that, one can also use rail services to Rishikesh and Haridwar. On reaching Dehradun, Rishikesh, or Haridwar, one can travel to Hanuman Chatti in taxis and buses. There are many trains that run from these three destinations from major cities and towns of the country.

Yamunotri by Road

The state of Uttarakhand is well-connected by road to all the major tourist destinations. However, the trek towards the sacred place of Yamunotri commences from Hanuman Chatti. The private cabs, shared taxis, and buses to Hanuman Chatti run from Rishikesh, Dehradun, Uttarkashi, and Tehri. You can also choose to drive to Hanuman Chatti in your car. However, you should be a trained driver to drive on these terrains as mountainous and winding roads to Yamunotri are not easy to drive for beginners.

How to reach Yamunotri Temple

Yamunotri Temple is easily accessible, and devotees can trek to the temple. Janki Chatti is the base camp for the Yamunotri Temple trek. Those who cannot hike or trek for 6 km can also hire a pony or palanquin from the base camp. The helicopter service for Yamunotri from Dehradun is also available. The nearest helipad is situated in Kharsali, from where Janki Chatti is easily connected by road. Here are the different ways to travel to Yamunotri Uttarakhand:

Yamunotri trek

Hanuman Chatti is the base camp for trekking to Yamunotri Temple. Hanuman Chatti is easily accessible by all modes from the nearby towns and cities by road. From Hanuman Chatti, the temple is located 6 km away, and the trekking route is well-maintained.

By pony/ palanquin/ horse

Some devotees cannot walk due to physical challenges or don’t have much time to trek. So they can hire a pony, horse, and palanquin. The government has marked the rates of these services mentioned at Hanuman Chatti. It is also among the easiest ways to reach Yamunotri Temple.

By helicopter

You can also visit the Yamunotri Dham by helicopter and board a helicopter from Dehradun airport. The helicopter service is available from Sahastradhara Helipad to the Kharsali helipad, from where you can travel to Hanuman Chatti by road and trek to the temple.